# Basketball Game Controls: Keys for 1 and 2 Players

> Basketball game controls for Dunkhead: the keys for player 1 and player 2, how to dash, and what two test matches looked like against the computer.

- Source: https://yesthisgame.com/blog/basketball-game-controls-guide/
- Published: 2026-11-08, updated: 2026-11-08
- Author: Yes This Game (the team that makes the games on the site)

## Key takeaways

- Player 1 moves with the arrow keys, shoots or steals with X and uses Z for the supershot; player 2 uses W, A, S, D, L and K.
- Press the right arrow twice to dash; the down arrow pumps in attack and blocks in defense.
- In a no-input test match the computer won 10 to 0, and in a second match with a simple scripted attack it led 12 to 0 with 7 seconds left.
- Every basket we saw was worth 2 points, and the timer counted down from about 60 seconds.

**Player 1 in [Dunkhead](https://yesthisgame.com/dunkhead/) moves with the arrow keys, shoots or steals with X and uses Z for the supershot, while player 2 uses W, A, S and D with L and K.** That is what the game's own how-to-play screen shows, and we read it in a test browser before playing two matches against the computer to see how fast it scores.

## The keys

*Keys on the in-game how-to-play screen*

| Action | Player 1 | Player 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Move | Arrow keys | W, A, S, D |
| Supershot | Z | K |
| Action | X | L |

The same screen lists five moves with their keys: **Shot** (X) and **Pump** (down arrow) in attack, **Dash** (right arrow twice), and **Steal** (X) and **Block** (down arrow) in defense. The action key does two jobs: shoot when you have the ball, steal when you do not. We confirmed the arrow keys moved the player, but we did not test the supershot, dash, pump or block in play, so treat those as the game's own description.

## Two matches against the computer

We chose Random Match with the first two teams on offer and read the scoreboard every few seconds. In the first match we pressed nothing. In the second a script ran forward, jumped, pressed X and pressed Z in a loop, which is a crude attack.

*The computer's points, by time left on the clock*

| Match | About 50 s left | About 25 s left | Last reading |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No input | 2 | 6 | 10 (final, 0 : 10) |
| Scripted attack | 2 | 8 | 12 (at 7.4 s left) |

![Line chart of the computer's points against time left in two test matches: with no input it reached 10, and with a scripted attack it reached 12 by 7 seconds left](https://yesthisgame.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/dunkhead-cpu-score-chart.png)
*The computer's score against the time left, in the two matches.*

Every basket raised the score by 2. With no input the computer scored 5 baskets, roughly one every 12 seconds. We scored nothing in either match, so our crude script did not stop it.

Two matches against one pairing of teams is a small sample, and a script is not a player. We did not test how the computer reacts to real defense.

## 4 tips from the screens

- **Do not stand still.** The computer scored with no resistance at all.
- **Learn the dash.** It is the right arrow pressed twice, so practise it in Training.
- **Use the question mark.** It opens the how-to-play screen during a match.
- **Share the keyboard.** In 2 Players, player 1 stays on the arrows and player 2 on W, A, S and D, so both have room.

## Where to try it

Try it yourself in [Dunkhead](https://yesthisgame.com/dunkhead/). For another quick game with a score to chase, see [Plungetower](https://yesthisgame.com/plungetower/), or ride the ramps in [Rampcrest](https://yesthisgame.com/rampcrest/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What are the controls for player 1 in Dunkhead?

The arrow keys to move, X for the action (shoot with the ball, steal without it), Z for the supershot, the down arrow to pump or block and the right arrow twice to dash.

### What are the controls for player 2?

W, A, S and D to move, L for the action and K for the supershot, as the in-game how-to-play screen shows.

### How do you dash?

The how-to-play screen shows the right arrow pressed twice under Dash.

### How many points is a basket worth?

Every basket in our two test matches raised the score by 2 points.

### How long does a match last?

It is timed: the countdown read about 56 seconds a few seconds after the start in our tests.

### Can the computer win if I do nothing?

In our test with no input the computer won 10 to 0, scoring a basket about every 12 seconds.

## Games in this guide

- [Dunkhead](https://yesthisgame.com/dunkhead.md): Play Dunkhead online: big-head basketball for one or two players. Pick a team, shoot, dash, steal and block. Keyboard controls, no download.
- [Rampcrest](https://yesthisgame.com/rampcrest.md): Play Rampcrest online: ride a dirt bike over ramps, barrels and crates in 25 levels and earn up to three stars. Arrow keys or touch buttons.
- [Plungetower](https://yesthisgame.com/plungetower.md): Play Plungetower online: press and hold to drop a ball through a tower of colorful rings, dodge the dark segments and clear every level.